1963 Map of Holden

About this map

Holden and the surrounding coal country of Logan County are defined by deep-cut hollows and a dense network of mining settlements along the Mud River and Island Creek drainage. The Chesapeake and Ohio railway lines thread through these narrow valleys, connecting industrial clusters like Whitman Junction and Trace Junction to the larger Appalachian network. The map reveals the social fabric of the era through dozens of small community markers, including local schools like Whitman School and landmarks such as the Logan Branch Marshall University. From Black Bottom to Mount Gay, the landscape is a mix of residential additions and extractive industry, evidenced by numerous Mine Dump labels. In the more secluded southern reaches, family-named sites like the Ooten Cemetery and Pickering Knob punctuate the ridges, while the Chief Logan State Recreation Area occupies the northern heights.